Swine Flu death: Rida's family to sue hospital

Pune, Aug 4: The family members of the 14-year-old girl who died of Swine flu in Pune on Monday, Aug 3 has threatened civil and criminal action against the private hospital where she was admitted.

14-year-old Rida Shaikh was suffering from the influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and died at the Jehangir Hospital in Pune. Rida's family on Tuesday, Aug 4 said that they would sue the hospital for negligence and give all the money to charity.

"We will take civil and criminal action against the hospital. The family will also sue the hospital for damages and get a huge sum of money. We are not interested in the money. The money will be given to charity," Asif Lampwala, the family lawyer said at a press conference here.

Rida's father said, "If they (the private hospital) had sent Rida's samples to the NIV earlier, probably my daughter would have been alive today."

Her aunt, Ayesha Shaikh, added: "We didn't know then, but now we know that Ruby Hall, where Rida's samples were sent for tests initially, was not authorised (to test for swine flu)."

"Initially the hospital said she was suffering from pneumonia, then they said she was suffering from some respiratory disorder. When her lungs got affected they told us that there was nothing to worry because her other organs were not affected. "When we realised what the truth was, it was too late," she added.

Union health secretary Naresh Dayal said in New Delhi that the girl was given anti-flu medicine at a very late stage. "It appears she was treated late. If she had been treated earlier, she could have been saved," Dayal said